The Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab on Tuesday announced the names of four more candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party released its twelfth list with the names of seven candidates, three of whom will contest from Punjab. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election rally in Bihar, the Congress questioned why Bihar has not been accorded special status despite the BJP being in power at the Centre for 10 years. The Opposition party also asked for an update on the Centre’s plans to construct more airports in the state.

Here’s a look at today’s top developments:

  • The Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab has announced the names of four more Lok Sabha candidates, including three sitting MPs, for the general elections. The incumbents who have been given a ticket again are Jagdeep Singh Brar from Ferozepur, Amansher Singh Kalsi from Gurdaspur and Ashok Parashar Pappi from the Ludhiana Lok Sabha constituency. Former MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu, who recently joined the Aam Aadmi Party after leaving the Shiromani Akali Dal, has been fielded from Jalandhar.

  • The BJP has released its twelfth list with the names of seven Lok Sabha candidates. Three names are from Punjab. Union minister Som Parkash has been replaced by his wife Anita Som Parkash as the BJP candidate from Hoshiarpur. Parampal Kaur Sidhu, a 2011 batch Indian Administrative Service officer who recently resigned and joined the BJP, will contest from Bathinda. Sidhu is the daughter-in-law of senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sikandar Singh Maluka. Manjeet Singh Manna has been fielded from Khadoor Sahib.

  • The Congress on Tuesday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi as to why Bihar had not been granted special status as promised by his party a decade ago. “In 2014, when campaigning for his current position, Modi effectively promised special state status for Bihar,” said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh in a social media post ahead of Modi’s rally in Bihar. “Ten years later, what is the Modi Sarkar waiting for? Why has the PM forgotten the people of Bihar?” Ramesh also asked the prime minister when the BJP-led Central government will address the issue of the annual flooding of the Kosi river.

  • During a rally in Bihar’s Gaya, Modi criticised the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal, saying that the party had ruled in the state for “several years but they do not have the guts to discuss the work done by their government”, reported ANI. “RJD has given only two things to Bihar – jungle raj aur bhrashtachar [and corruption],” said the prime minister.

  • Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during a rally in Kerala, criticised Modi for his statements on electoral bonds, reported The Indian Express. Referring to the prime minister’s interview with ANI, Gandhi said: “I do not know if you have noticed his face and eyes. He was trying to defend the biggest corruption scandal on earth – electoral bonds, through which the BJP extorted thousands of crores of rupees from businesspeople.” In the interview aired on Monday, Modi said that the scrapping of the electoral bonds scheme by the Supreme Court is a development that everyone would regret if they reflected on it.

  • Businessman Robert Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra once again expressed his interest in contesting the Lok Sabha elections. “As far as my role in active politics is concerned, people have always strengthened me when I have worked for them,” Vadra was quoted as saying by ANI. “The country wants me to be in active politics. If the Congress party feels that I can bring a change, I will come into active politics.” On April 4, he told the news agency that the people of Amethi expected him to represent their constituency.